The present invention relates to knee prostheses for replacing the articular surfaces of a diseased or injured human knee. More particularly, the present invention relates to a knee prosthesis having an extended range of flexion.
Disease and trauma affecting the articular surfaces of the knee joint are commonly effectively treated by surgically replacing the articulating ends of the femur and tibia with prosthetic femoral and tibial implants, referred to as total knee replacements (TKR). These implants are made of materials that exhibit a low coefficient of friction as they articulate against one another so as to restore normal, pain free, knee function. Modern TKR""s are tri-compartmental designs. That is, they replace three separate articulating surfaces within the knee joint; namely the patello-femoral joint and the lateral and medial inferior tibio-femoral joints. These implants are designed to articulate from a position of slight hyperextension to approximately 115 to 130 degrees of flexion. Such a tricompartmental design can meet the needs of most TKR patients even though the healthy human knee is capable of a range of motion (ROM) approaching 170 degrees. However, there are some TKR patients who have particular need to obtain very high flexion in their knee joint, usually as a result of cultural considerations. For many in the orient, and for some in the west, a TKR which permits a patient to achieve a ROM in excess of 150 degrees is desirable to allow deep kneeling, squatting, and sitting on the floor with the legs tucked underneath.
In order to meet such a high flexion requirement, the present invention provides a fourth articulating compartment, namely the superior posterior femoral condyles. All prior TKR designs ignore the superior posterior condyles. The articulating surface of the posterior condyles of prior TKR""s continue their natural curves until the posterior condylar surface meets the interior posterior wall of the TKR fixation surface. Where the two surfaces meet, an edge is formed. For simply aesthetic reasons, the posterior superior edge of standard TKR""s may have a small fillet. If such a TKR is able to articulate beyond 130 degrees at all, then the edge directly articulates against the tibial articulating surface which is usually made of ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE). Such a condition is contraindicated as it will lead to extremely small contact areas between the articulating components and could lead to exceptionally high wear rates. Such a condition could ultimately lead to the destruction and failure of the TKR. In the present invention, provision is made to add an additional articulating surface to each of the superior posterior femoral condyles so that at very high flexion angles, a proper articulation is maintained. Articulation along the superior posterior condylar surface of the present invention is intended. Thus, the superior posterior condyles represent a fourth compartment of articulation.
The superior posterior articulating surface is achieved by first increasing the thickness of the superior posterior condylar portion of the TKR femoral component to widen the superior posterior edge of the posterior condyle. Second, the newly created surface at the superior posterior condyle is smoothly rounded to provide an articular surface with no sharp changes in the surface contours. In one embodiment, the fourth articular compartment of this invention is provided in a one piece femoral design. In another embodiment, it is provided as a modular addition to an existing prior art femoral component. In another embodiment, the fourth compartment is combined with a posterior stabilized (PS) TKR design that includes a tibial post and cooperating femoral cam characterized by low engagement of the cam on the spine.